Small Wishes Do Come True
by Cadaverly
Summary: The Pharaoh, wishing for a turn in his life, takes a trip to the village and meets a very interesting performer.


Atem yawned. He was _dead_ bored... Well, just about. Sitting on a thrown all day giving orders and making decisions was tedious. So, he decided he was going to take a stroll through the city... maybe. If he could only get past those royal "guards" of his. Honestly, he didn't want them flanking him everywhere. It was bad enough he had to snap at them to get them to stop following him to the bathroom.

"Pharaoh!" one of them called. "Where are you going?" Drat.

"I just wanted to go have a look at the city from my balcony." he called back, walking away towards his room. The guards shrugged and let him leave to his sleeping quarters. He thanked the Gods that they didn't follow him. As soon as he was in his room, he closed the door tightly, fled to the balcony, and carefully climbed down a hidden ladder to the ground below. Swift as he was, the garden maid still caught sight of him.

"Pharaoh...?" she called, walking towards him with a few small pots which held different flowers in each of them. She caught his eye and her face flushed.

"Just looking for something. Forget you even saw me out here." he said swiftly, winking at the dazed maid. She blushed and turned around to go get something from under a stone gazebo. Atem smiled. Sometimes it was nice to have shy maids every once in a while.

Once in town, Atem made his way through the streets. He took his time looking at the various things the villagers were selling and trading. As always though, every time Atem was to even be seen strolling into town, everyone would be super friendly and everything would be neat and tidy. Sometimes it was nice to walk into the city and see this sight, but not today. It was one of those many days he wished he could just be treated as a regular person. Maybe he should have worn a disguise. He sighed, and put on a smile for his people. He greeted them as they did to him, with a friendly hello. _I thought today would finally be the day for something... exciting..._ Atem thought sadly. He truly did want his life to differ from his boring routine, and he was becoming impatient with his wish not being granted. No matter how humble he was, he still wanted just one little wish to come true. It happened to everyone else, so why not him? It was just a small wish! He was a great Pharaoh, true, but he surely wasn't the happiest at the moment. Something was missing from his life... Something like...

At that moment, he caught sight of a rather large crowd._ Hmm... _hethought curiously. Atem made his way over to where everyone was crowded, silently cursing himself for being so short when he got there.

"Pardon...Excuse me..." he said, making his way through the crowd. Once in the first few rows of people, he finally had a sight of what everyone else was looking at. Better put, _who _everyone was looking at. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. In the middle of a vast circle was a performer. Yes, there were many street performers that he had seen just about everywhere, but this one... _he_ was different. He wasn't a female, yet he danced just as gracefully and flexibly as one. He was also remarkably beautiful for a boy, and very lithe to match. He also did various tricks. Every trick involved using the gracefulness of his own body, whether it was balancing on a ball, or juggling numerous items. He even balanced a variety of things on sticks, his hands, arms, feet, legs, and just about everywhere else. It was truly an amazing sight to see. He clapped along with the crowd at the boy's talent. Though through the show, he noted a few people making crude comments and immature catcalls. When sunset had finally rolled around, the boy performed his final trick and bid the audience a gracious thank you and good night as they threw a few coins to him. Atem was one the few that had lingered fairly close to the area, the rest of the crowd dispersing back to their homes and shops.

"That was quite an amazing show you put on. I haven't seen anything that enjoyable in a long while." the Pharaoh said, accidentally startling the young boy. He turned around quickly and bowed deeply.

"Pharaoh. I apologize, I... didn't notice you were here..." he said in a small voice, obviously shy. Atem held up a hand, silencing the young one.

"Please, don't apologize. It's quite alright. I'm actually relieved you didn't notice me." Atem told him. He gave a small smile in return, his features adopting a slightly pink hue. Atem thought it was adorable, and smiled back warmly. The boy truly was beautiful. He looked like a mini version of Atem, except his skin was a soft pastel rather than a dark bronze, and his hair didn't have quite as many bangs as the Pharaoh's. And in place of the red-violet eyes that belonged to Atem, the boy had two amethyst crystals. In the Pharaoh's eyes, 'beautiful' was an understatement.

"Well... I'm very happy that you enjoyed the show." he said, smiling brightly. The sunset cast a soft red-orange glow on the boy's face, adding to his beauty. He started packing his things then, leaving the Pharaoh in thought. Atem thought and thought until the boy waved his hand in front of the pharaoh's face, wanting to wish him goodbye and goodnight.

"I have to go now." he said simply when Atem asked why he was saying goodbye.

"Where do you live?" Atem asked curiously. The boy paused for a moment.

"Oh, I don't really live here or anywhere. I just travel around. It's hard... but I guess it's better..." he trailed off and suddenly he was quite interested in the sand beneath his feet. Atem's brows knitted together in worry and curiosity.

"Better than what?"

"Being at home... but they aren't really my family... so... I guess it's alright that I'm gone." was all he said before the Pharaoh suddenly picked him up in his arms and startled him. The boy stuttered a few times before Atem told him to hush.

"That just won't do. You need somewhere to stay... And to live." he said as he walked away from the area and from the boy's things.

"W-wait! My stuff!" he said worriedly, trying to scramble out of the pharaoh's grasp.

"Why? I can replace those things for you."

"No! I mean... there are a few things that are... precious to me..." Atem stopped at this statement and looked thoughtfully at the boy in his arms and bit his own lip, guilt filling his chest. The boy's eyes were glittering with tears that threatened to spill over. Atem carefully set the boy down, taking a corner of his cape and drying his eyes with it. The boy looked up at him with a soft, thankful gaze.

"I-I'll be right back." he said before turning back to his things and digging through them. After finding a few things, he ran back to the pharaoh, holding a necklace with a stone dragonfly charm, a small glass heart with delicate carvings on it, and a turquoise turtle with a painted flower on it's shell. The boy was smiling and he returned to the pharaoh's side.

"I deeply appreciate you finding somewhere for me to live." he said as they started walking through the darkened streets of the village.

"It's no trouble, little one."

"Might I ask if you have something in mind?"

Atem grinned. "Actually, I have a perfect place for you to live."

The boy blinked. "So suddenly? I'm honored. I hope they'll accept me..." he said quietly, more to himself.

"Oh, they will. I'm absolutely sure of it. In fact, I guarantee it." Atem replied, hearing the boy's words. He blushed and looked at the ground. Even in the dark, Atem could tell he was blushing. He smiled.

"So, tell me young one. What is your name?"

"Er.. my name is Yugi." he said, apparently caught off guard by the sudden question. He would have expected the shop keepers to ask something so meaningless as his name before the almighty pharaoh did. Atem gave a small chuckle. Yugi shyly smiled back and then gasped loudly when he realized that they were almost to the palace steps.

"Hm? Something wrong?" Atem asked, turning back to look at Yugi when he had suddenly stopped. Yugi blinked a few times and Atem laughed lightly, guessing that Yugi had finally figured out his plan. His guess was right.

"P-Pharaoh! I cannot! I simply cannot! Someone as low as me simply can't live in your palace!" Yugi cried, taking a few steps back as if something would suddenly jump out and eat him if he had gotten any closer. Atem waved his hand.

"Nonsense! I decide who does and who doesn't live in my palace," Atem said, walking back to Yugi. "And I decide that you may live in my palace. Please, I insist on it."

"But Pharaoh... you hardly know anything about me!" Atem shook his head and smiled at Yugi, gently setting his hands on the younger one's shoulders.

"Yugi," he said tenderly. "It may be true that I don't know much about you now, but I do know that you travel around a lot and don't have a permanent home. As for the people who do live in your house, I'm unconcerned with them for now. You work too hard to make even a small payment. And I wouldn't be surprised if strangers stalked you and you had no clue... No offense to you of course."

"None taken." Yugi replied, knowing full well that he was probably right anyway.

"You shouldn't be forced out of your home and to the streets. You have an amazing talent and are a wonderful person from what I know about you now. It would make me very happy to have you living in my palace and to get to know you better." Atem told him kindly, looking down into his eyes. Yugi looked up at him and bit his lip in thought. He smiled afterward.

"Well... if you insist, Pharaoh," he started. "Then I would be honored to live in your palace." Atem smiled and kissed Yugi's forehead, making him blush.

He took Yugi's hand softly into his and in a warm voice said, "Let us go inside then, Aibou. We have much to learn about each other."


End file.
